


The Princess Factor

by cathrheas



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: (FINALLY), Established Relationship, F/F, Flowers, Fluff, Horseback Riding, Marihilda Week (Fire Emblem)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-15
Updated: 2020-01-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:09:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22263886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cathrheas/pseuds/cathrheas
Summary: Hilda and Marianne step into a fairy tale.
Relationships: Marianne von Edmund/Hilda Valentine Goneril
Comments: 1
Kudos: 26





	The Princess Factor

**Author's Note:**

> MariHilda Week Day 3: Flowers/Horse Ride/Fairytale
> 
> i am taking longer and longer to post these each day. F

Hilda always imagined herself being a princess. She was never too interested in committed relationships, but she did often imagine being whisked away somewhere, taken to some magical land with big bad wolves and snakes that talked and glass slippers. It fit her, she thought. She was obviously princess incarnate: gorgeous, with smooth skin and big eyes, and...fairly kind. And she was luxurious, too. That was important.

When she met Marianne, she immediately thought, no, this girl wouldn’t fit into any fairy tale. Princesses weren’t clumsy, and princesses didn’t stutter, and princesses kept their rooms pretty tidy (although Hilda sometimes slipped on that part). Marianne did like fairy tales, Hilda learned, so they often discussed them while Hilda was helping Marianne clean. Hilda always asked which was Marianne’s favorite, but Marianne always shrugged, or mumbled an “I don’t know”.

Hilda thought she’d open up more after they started dating. At that point, Hilda had started to see more of Marianne beneath the surface level, and could  _ maybe _ see her as a princess. She was certainly nicer than Hilda, and the whole “liking animals” thing made her pretty princess-like. Hilda had even come to love and accept the less princess-like parts of Marianne, which is why it caught her off-guard when Marianne told her why she didn’t have a favorite fairy tale.

“Most of them have princesses, and things like that. I can’t see myself in a place like that,” Marianne said. “So I don’t really bother picking favorites.”

Well, Hilda couldn’t have  _ that, _ of course. A long time ago, she’d have agreed, but she had come to her senses: Marianne was princess material.

Hilda never saw herself as a knight, but she sure felt like one, sitting atop a horse and reaching down to grab Marianne’s hand. It had only been a day since Marianne’s little confession, but Hilda worked fast. When it came to Marianne, she had plenty of time that she did not want to waste.

“Before I get on the horse...where are we going?”

“Your kingdom,” Hilda said, simply. She didn’t want to spoil it, but she had to make sure Marianne was interested. Even if they were lovers, Marianne was still skittish, so Hilda had to bait her well.

It seemed to work, because Marianne took Hilda’s hand, although reluctantly, and got on top of the horse, patting him as he adjusted to her weight. “Okay. Let’s go, I guess.”

“You’ll love it. I promise. If not, you can pinch me.”

“You know I wouldn’t...”

Hilda was more skilled in handling flying animals, but horses weren’t too difficult. Really, though, he seemed to walk a lot smoother once Marianne got on his saddle. Hilda didn’t dig into his sides too much, keeping his pace at a happy trot. They weren’t going too far from the monastery, so there was no need for him to break into a run, but Hilda considered it a few times; Marianne was shifting impatiently behind her, holding onto Hilda’s shoulders and upper arms nervously.

As they drew nearer, Hilda reassured, “We’re almost there, Lady Marianne!”

“Wh-why are you calling me that? You’ve got to be making fun of me.”

“Why would  _ I, _ your trusty knight, make fun of you?”

“...Yes, you’re definitely making fun of me.”

“Don’t think like that,” Hilda said, breaking character. “Look ahead a bit.”

Marianne didn’t have to look too hard; after all, she was taller, and her gaze went right over Hilda’s head. Hilda held her breath while she waited for Marianne to react.  _ Maybe she doesn’t really care, _ Hilda briefly thought, worried. Then, Marianne gasped, and Hilda felt her sit up straight. “Flowers...”

“Yeah! A bunch of em,” Hilda gloated. She pulled back on the reins, forcing the steed to slow up right before they reached the outer borders of the field. Hilda couldn’t let him speed past the good scenery, after all. The field was made up of mostly tulips, but Hilda had been there before, and she had found roses and daisies, too. Marianne seemed eager to get off, to pluck them, but Hilda reached back to hold her hand. “Welcome to your kingdom, Princess Marianne.”

“Hilda. I’m no princess,” Marianne said. 

It made Hilda twitch, how serious Marianne sounded when she said that. As if Marianne realized how thick the air had gotten, she forced a small laugh. Like that would change what she said. “You are a princess. There’s all kinds of princesses, and you fit your kind of princess perfectly,” Hilda said. “Don’t argue! For today, you’re the princess of Flowertopia, and I’m your loyal knight!”

“Flowertopia,” Marianne repeated. That time, she gave a genuine giggle. 

“Well, um...you can rename it, I guess,” Hilda said. The horse whinnied softly, and Marianne soothed it. Like a real princess. “You’re the royalty here! Do what you want!”

“Whatever I want? This is kind of scary, but okay...” Marianne looked out at the flowers. She was really itching to pluck them, then, both of her hands on Hilda’s shoulders so that Hilda could feel her fingers twitching. “First order of business is to...um...give my knight a medal of honor. For being the best knight in all of Flowertopia.”

“Which knight? You have plenty.”

Hilda turned around just to see the blush on Marianne’s face that she knew was there. “You, of course,” Marianne stuttered. “S-so, let’s pick some pretty flowers. For your ceremony.”

“Aye-aye, my lady!” Hilda pulled on the reins with finality, and the horse finally came to a stop. Hilda got off first, running about and gathering all of the pink and blue flowers she could find. “But, first, I’ve got to make you a crown.”


End file.
